Passage Island Light

The Passage Island Light stands on the southwestern tip of Passage Island, a small island in northwestern Lake Superior, about 3.25 mi northeast of Isle Royale in Houghton Township, Michigan. Its coordinates are 48°13′27″ N, 88°21′57″ W, placing it in the United States, Michigan region on the lake.

The tower rises 44 ft and is built of fieldstone. It is square on the first level and becomes octagonal above, and it is capped with a ten‑sided cast‑iron lantern that is painted white and red. A spiral staircase leads to the lantern room. The light’s focal plane stands 23.8 m above the lake, originally equipped with a fourth‑order Fresnel lens and now using a 190 mm acrylic lens.

The need for a station between Passage Island and Isle Royale was recognized in the 1860s, and Congress authorized construction in 1875. Funding was not released until 1880, so work began in 1881 and the light was completed and first lit in 1882. A fog signal was added in 1884 and a new flashing white lens was installed in 1894. The light was automated in 1978 and the lens was replaced with the present acrylic unit in 1989.

The station remains an active aid to navigation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added July 19 2006). It continues to function with its present lens and focal height, providing a fixed point for vessels on Lake Superior.

Light and tower

It lies on Lake Superior. The light has a focal height of 23.8 metres. It was automated in 1978. Its recorded status is active.